Noah Gragson’s hopes for a strong finish at the Cracker Barrel 400 took a hit after an on-track incident at Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday, June 1, leaving him frustrated and out of contention early.
Early Crash Dashes Gragson’s Expectations
During the race at Nashville, Gragson found himself at the back of the field and soon became involved in an incident that severely damaged his #4 Ford. The trouble began after Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was sent into the SAFER barrier at Turn 3 when Carson Hocevar made an aggressive move. Not long after, on lap 113, Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman accidentally collided with Gragson, causing significant damage to both cars. This chain of events dashed any chance for Gragson to recover positions and earn a valuable finish in the standings.
Following the incident, Gragson expressed his deep frustration, saying:
“I gave him like a whole two lanes off the bottom, he just merks me in the left rear, just annihilated us. I don’t get it, it just just sucks. It’s super early in the race. That was a hard hit, like tough. It’s kind of been the story of our year so far,”
he said via Frontstretch [00:41 onwards]. —Noah Gragson, NASCAR Driver
Despite the disappointment, Gragson did not overlook his team’s hard work and dedication at Front Row Motorsports, highlighting both the setbacks and their persistence throughout the season.
“We’ve been building good cars. We ran good at Charlotte and felt like we’d had good speed at some of these tracks. Just need to get on a consistent basis, but still super proud of everybody at Front Row Motorsports. Just sucks to get annihilated in the left rear like that when I gave them a bunch of room and uh, I don’t get that,”
Noah Gragson added. —Noah Gragson, NASCAR Driver
Tough Start to the Season for Gragson
Noah Gragson, the 26-year-old from Nevada, has experienced a challenging NASCAR season so far. With fourteen races completed, Gragson has only secured two top-10 finishes, his best being a fourth-place run at Talladega. The Nashville accident marked his third DNF (Did Not Finish) in 2025, leaving him 31st in the drivers’ standings with just 214 points. These struggles reflect a testing period not just for Gragson but also for his Front Row Motorsports team.
Crew Chief Discusses Possible Horsepower Increase
Amid driver frustrations and competition debates, attention in the NASCAR Cup Series has also turned to the cars themselves. In the wake of criticism from veteran drivers such as Kyle Busch, discussions about boosting horsepower in Cup cars have grown louder. Reports suggest that the potential changes would focus on enhancing performance for short tracks and road courses, responding to calls for a more competitive racing environment.
Drew Blickensderfer, Gragson’s crew chief, has welcomed the idea of increasing horsepower, especially considering the team’s equipment and partnerships.
“I’m a big fan of more horsepower, especially when I know I’m in a Ford and I’ve got Doug Yates behind me. I know he’s gonna give us everything, so it’s never gonna hurt me, the more horsepower you give us so I’m a fan of that, especially beyond the shortcuts,”
Blickensderfer said [00:44 onwards]. —Drew Blickensderfer, Crew Chief
NASCAR is currently reviewing these regulations, but any decision would only take effect for specific tracks rather than the entire season.
What Lies Ahead for Gragson and Front Row Motorsports
The recent accident at Nashville underscores the tough challenges Gragson and his team face during the 2025 season. As they regroup after another setback, they aim to find stability and better finishes in upcoming races. The ongoing discussion about Cup Series horsepower limits will also be crucial for teams like Front Row Motorsports, as potential rule changes could influence strategies and competition on short tracks and road courses. The next races will test whether Gragson and his team can capitalize on any opportunities that arise as the season unfolds.
